


A Lovely Way To Burn

by FunkyinFishnet



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Demons, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Male Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:41:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27030604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FunkyinFishnet/pseuds/FunkyinFishnet
Summary: The Dutch Devil wasn't just a catchy nickname for Max's Dad. Max has plenty of demon blood in him. Formula 1 is the perfect place for him to feed, and to unexpectedly find the perfect human for him.
Relationships: Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen
Comments: 14
Kudos: 89
Collections: Fear





	A Lovely Way To Burn

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the song 'Fever' by Little Willie John.

The Dutch Devil wasn't just a catchy nickname for Max's Dad. Jos Verstappen had a lot of pull underground, being a very old, very powerful, full-blood demon. Max was a mixed blood of course, as his mother was fully human, but he still had a lot of inhuman needs due to his heritage. He felt the cold very easily, he could smell people's natures and their very human desires, and he needed a regular kind of feeding that had nothing to do with food.

So he was very glad his Dad nudged him towards car racing when he was young. All the ambition and ruthlessness, the greed for victory, even in the lower formulas Max was able to feed on the sinful charge in the air. He was amazed at how satisfied and energised he felt and how he could feed it back into the racing too, though he had so much energy after a feed, he couldn't always control the car and kept wiping out instead of winning. It was so frustrating.

Then he had gone to visit his Dad at a Formula 1 track. It was amazing, the strength of the naked ambition in the paddock. Max didn't know where to look first, the world seemed to spin, he was feeding so easily. Then he clutched his Mother's hand and the frantic spinning eased. **Oh.** He could feed and not feel he was going to run off track. He gripped his Mother tighter and breathed in the incredible atmosphere.

He met his Dad's eyes and nodded, sensing how his Dad was getting all he needed here too as a driver. His Dad frowned though when he saw Max holding onto his mother.

"That will dampen the effect," he told Max later. "You will not get a full feed and you will hurt your mother."

Max shook his head, certain, "No, I feed better this way, I stay on track."

His Dad looked at him thoughtfully and watched as Max began to win races, after spending time close to his Mother. Then his Dad started looking approving and proud, telling Max it was likely Max and his Mother sharing blood that protected them both. Max glowed with pride at finding a way to improve that impressed his Dad.

His Dad had a lot of tips to pass on, especially once Max was a teenager and hormones raced at the paddock as fast as the cars. Max's Dad taught him that feeding on those desires could be very satisfying but that if he touched a full-blood human for too long it would injure them or worse.

"It's better if you find someone with mixed blood," Max's Dad said. "They will understand and it will hurt them less. Unless you find a human whose skin you burn, that is a sign they will be very good for you."

Max frowned in confusion but his Dad didn't elaborate. Max realised later it was likely because his Dad didn't know any more.

He did warn Max that not all humans knew the lore, and they could be frightened or angry. Max had to be careful, especially once he was sixteen years old as that meant his eyes turned yellow with pinpoint pupils whenever he got angry or emotional. The forked tongue was a lot easier to hide.

Max found there were a lot of mixed bloods in racing. He was sure Charles was part trickster, Charles was always far too happy whenever Max suffered any misfortune. There were also a lot of humans in racing and Max was very careful with every human he touched. Any time he kissed someone and he felt them start to flinch, he let go and apologised, keeping his eyes lowered. After a while, he stopped trying to touch humans so much. He hated how their pain tasted. It fed him, but not in a way he enjoyed.

Anyway, there were enough shapeshifters, fellow demons, so many other kinds of people to scratch Max’s urges, and there were a lot of urges in his teenage years. But no one's skin burned for him. Honestly, he didn't expect them to.

He was very happy this way. His job was his passion, his nature was satisfied. And on All Hallows Eve, not only was his demon blood stronger, he could be less careful about it. Everyone dressed as something otherworldly. Ever since he was tiny, Max had dressed as a little demon, the cartoon version the world liked to peddle. His Dad found it ridiculous, Max enjoyed the disguise in plain sight. He looked forward to it every year. He wore little horns in his hair and all red and he was set. His yellow eyes were even better, they looked like contact lenses.

The team bosses always knew of course, it had to be declared when signing a contract. His Dad made sure there was no prejudice against Max’s blood. He knew the importance of words and how they could bind. He made sure Max found every error in the Toro Rosso before he signed it, and made sure he knew it inside out. Max fed amazingly well during that contract signing, there was so much ambition on both sides of the table.

The F1 paddock was even more fulfilling than he remembered. His Dad was proud and feeding too. He’d also found a partner who wasn’t a full-blood human and who made him very happy. Max’s Mum was happy too with her new partner, a different kind of mixed blood who didn’t have to worry about hurting her when he touched her.

Max wasn’t looking for that kind of long-term possible happiness, he didn’t have the time. He was sure he would be like his Dad and find it later, after racing was no longer possible. His parents never asked him about it. He was focused on how to handle the Toro Rosso car, especially without his Mother at the tracks so much to pivot his energy. Thankfully, he had Carlos.

Carlos was a good teammate. He smelled of mixed blood and immediately said during their first meeting, “You smell of brimstone, _amigo."_

He was easy to get along with, he steered people away from too much of Max’s touch and never asked stupid questions about pitchforks or tails or horns. Max could touch him and cause him no pain and he could focus the energy the paddock poured into him. 

Carlos had no problem hugging Max in the cold weather, his long arms wrapping easily around the half-demon and stopping him from shivering. He wasn’t even startled by Max’s yellow eyes and how his face seemed to be different somehow in those moments. They laughed together and challenged each other and sometimes shared a bed. It was friendly and stayed completely separate from their racing, it was everything Max needed to satisfy him. Carlos’s kisses were hot but they didn’t burn.

For his racing, Max got commended for his daring and boldness, and told he was too ambitious, abrasive, and dangerous. He accepted the compliments and laughed. As though he was the most ambitious on the grid or even in the paddock. He could smell those people and loiter nearby to get his feed and be satisfied for the whole race weekend.

Then there was Daniel. Carlos and Max had no bittersweet parting. They would see each other still of course during race weekends and Carlos understood the incredible boost of promotion Max was receiving. They kissed and hugged and didn’t say goodbye. There was no pain.

Daniel was completely human. Max was sure for a while that Daniel had to have nephilim blood but no, the smile and inner sunshine was all human and all Daniel. He was welcoming and friendly and they got on very well. Daniel saw no issue with making everyone smile, because he was extremely good on track as well. His focus was somehow split but powerful. It was a very neat technique.

Max found he was thinking of Daniel a lot now they were teammates. Daniel touched his sleeve, his shoulder, but was careful not to touch his skin. It was very kind and somehow didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable. Daniel wasn’t afraid. But he was ambitious, Max could smell that very clearly. It was a surprise to realise that under the amiable kind personality, the man who always had time and a kind word for everyone was as ruthless as everyone else. Daniel didn’t hide it, no, Max realised. Daniel talked about everything openly, but because he said it with a smile and a laugh, people were charmed and somehow wrong-footed when Daniel went for a killer move on track. How could it be a surprise to them? It was obvious once Max thought about it. He admired that technique too.

Daniel had hot hands. Of course Max noticed, he could feel the heat through his clothes whenever Daniel touched him. Maybe he shifted for more because Daniel’s touch started to linger and Max relaxed and enjoyed, especially when autumn’s chill snapped at his heels. Daniel never tried to take more, he’d pulled Max close for hugs and let Max lean against him and it was exactly the comforting heat Max needed. Also, it helped him after feeding. The marshalling of his energy was as good as when he’d held his Mother’s hands.

Max wouldn’t have minded if Daniel had tried to kiss him. Max was sure it would be warm too.

Max didn’t talk to his Dad about Daniel. His Dad didn’t mind humans, he just thought they were too fragile and that their worth could only really be equated to a food source. Max’s Mother asked Max if he was seeing anyone, because his eyes had looked particularly happy the last time she’d seen him. No, they hadn’t been yellow, but there’d definitely been a golden touch to them.

“He’s human,” Max told her shortly.

“So be careful,” his Mother replied promptly, as though it was that easy. “If he makes you golden, he must be worth a risk.”

“He’s my teammate.”

There was a short pause then, and “Be **very** careful.”

Daniel never asked about Max’s heritage, Max assumed he knew. Daniel never acted like he cared. Max pressed closer when Daniel wrapped a careless arm around him, breathing in Daniel’s scent of sunlight (yes, really) and pine needles. Daniel never told Max to be less ambitious, or to take less risks.

Instead, he said, “You’re killing it out there,” and “It’s gonna be awesome seeing you in my mirrors!” 

Whenever they stood next to each other now, they touched, flesh to cloth. Daniel didn’t do that so much with anyone else, Max was proud to note. Good, because Daniel was his teammate, he was **his.** When Max wasn’t racing, he thought about tasting Daniel’s smile and feeding on his ambition. He wanted Daniel, in a way he couldn’t remember wanting anyone else, human or mixed blood.

Then their hands touched, completely by accident as they navigated a really eager crowd approaching the grid, and Daniel caught hold of Max’s fingers in the crush of people to guide him safely out. Neither realised until they were free and Max’s eyes widened. Daniel looked surprised but not in pain. He let go quickly.

“Fuck, sorry, Max,” he apologised quickly. “Are you all right? That was an instinct thing, sorry.”

Max was surprised now, “Am **I** all right? Are you?”

Daniel nodded, confused, “Sure? I mean, my fingers are tingling.”

“Burning,” Max corrected, heartbeat flying fast and he wanted to crow to above and below.

Daniel was good for him. Daniel was **his**. 

“Max? Your eyes are doing the gold thing.”

Daniel had never mentioned it before. But Max wasn’t worried; Daniel still wasn’t scared, even though it was All Hallows next week. Max grinned, his teeth felt slightly pointed. He drew close to Daniel and wrapped a hand around Daniel’s wrist, Daniel didn’t startle. In fact, his eyes went dark and the lust coming from him was gorgeous. Max smiled, Daniel’s gaze flicked to Max’s teeth and back up again.

“Come to my flat tonight,” Max asked quickly.

“I’ll be there.”

Max let go with regret and watched as Daniel touched his wrist with wonder and seriously pungent interest.

///

Had Daniel always smelled of lust around Max? If he had, it’d been buried under everything else he thought and felt at work. That didn’t matter. He smelled strongly of it now when Max opened the flat door to him. Daniel’s eyes ran over him hungrily as they sat in the living room, sharing a sofa.

“Demon blood.”

Max nodded, “I assumed you knew.”

“Nah, they said you weren’t gonna be a danger to me and that you were a mixed blood but it was up to me if I wanted to know officially. I didn’t see the point. My first cousin is mostly merman and the reputation they have back home is as bad as a shark.”

So Daniel thought finding out could be more hurtful than not knowing, because reputations were the worst of every species, even if they were true sometimes. Max nudged their knees together, wanting to press himself against Daniel’s bare skin. He held onto his control with pointed teeth.

“I’m a half-blood, on my Dad’s side,” he revealed. “You know how we need to feed? On all the desires people usually try to hide?”

“The seven deadly sins.”

Max shrugged, “That’s an old version but yeah, sure. Here in racing, I never go hungry.”

Daniel laughed and pressed his knee firmly against Max’s. Max continued, “It means it’s hard to concentrate the output after a feed. Also, whenever I touch a full-blood human for too long, they get hurt.”

Daniel hummed, “Like I said, it tingled, it didn’t hurt.”

“It should have. I use touch to deal with the energy I get before a race. Carlos was good for it, being a mixed blood. The way it feels when you touch me after a feed, it’s as good as when Mum held my hand.”

Daniel digested this and seemed to realise its weight. Slowly, he laced their fingers together. They both stared at their joined hands. Daniel hummed again.

“More tingling. Why did you say it was burning?”

“The only lore of this my Dad knows; that I’ll burn the skin of any human who can’t be hurt by me.”

Daniel touched Max’s cheek, he wasn’t afraid, “Your eyes are gold again.”

Max smiled revealingly again, “And my teeth are pointed.”

Daniel nodded, smiling softly, the lust not dimming in his scent at all, “You don’t have to hide that around me.”

Max’s smile grew and he moved without warning, straddling Daniel’s lap, pinning him to the sofa. Daniel’s heartbeat was quick and he was startled but he still wasn’t afraid. His cock was twitching under Max’s weight.

“I don’t want to hide from you,” Max replied, his voice dropping lower. 

Daniel’s smile broadened as he shifted a little, like he was getting comfortable. “Are you gonna feed on my sins?”

Max chuckled and kissed him, deepening it immediately, curling his forked tongue around Daniel’s very human one. Daniel groaned and tried to move his hips but Max wouldn’t let him. Daniel’s pupils were blown wide when Max ended the kiss, flicking his tongue slowly across his sharp top teeth. Daniel’s gaze followed the move intently.

“I want more of that,” he said decisively.

“And my teeth?”

“Everything,” Daniel confirmed. “You can feed on whatever you want.”

Max began mouthing at Daniel’s neck, he tasted of sunlight and a thick hidden note of akudjura. 

“I love your ambition,” Max told him, nosing at his throat. “I love how people don’t see it, even though you’re always honest about it.”

“I love that you love it. It’s not going anywhere.”

Max kissed Daniel’s jaw, “I’m feeding, not removing. I want you to keep pushing me and trying to win, I want us both to be champions.”

He could feel Daniel getting harder, Max ground down against him. Daniel groaned again, angling his head to give Max better access.

“Fuck, yes. Do we need to wait until Halloween?”

He wasn’t completely joking. Max pulled off his shirt and started work on removing Daniel’s. More bare skin. It was going to burn amazingly. Daniel was going to smell of Max, everyone with the right nose would know the Australian had been claimed. Max growled.

“All Hallows isn’t necessary. But it will be even more fun.”

It was going to be insane. For now, they fucked on the sofa, then on the bed, clothes strewn over the carpets, Max fucking Daniel, Daniel fucking Max. Both of them wanting to feel more of the other, inside and out. Daniel was really into Max’s forked tongue and had no problem looking into Max’s yellow demon eyes. Max fed and revelled in touching his human as Daniel kept pressing close for more. Daniel’s kisses were full of sunshine and heat.

In the morning, in pale light that wasn’t strong enough to suit Daniel, Max stirred and noticed that there was now suddenly a vivid handprint across Daniel’s chest, like it had been painted there. For a second, Max thought it was a tattoo but its red colouring was very like a scab or a burn. It was a burn mark, from Max's hand. He had branded Daniel.

With a growl and a yellow flash of eyes, Max leaned closer to lick the edge of the burn. Daniel woke by the time Max was on his second lap. The human winced and looked down, completely surprised.

“Woah, are those fingerprints?!”

“My handprint,” replied Max proudly.

Daniel stared, beginning to grin, smelling hotter by the moment, “You burned my skin.”

Max bit down at the thumbprint, savouring how Daniel sighed and moaned, breathing him in. Daniel was still ambitious and still wanted all of Max. He wanted Max’s brand. He was the perfect meal for Max. Max was never going to get tired of him.

Max pulled back to fit his hand over the handprint and smirked. It’d be easily covered by a shirt but Max would know it was there, and so would Daniel. Daniel was already leaning into Max’s touch, eyes dark, dancing, and extremely hungry. Max’s growl only made him smell hungrier. They burned together.


End file.
